The city had concerns about the price tag of hosting the event. The last time Monterey was a host city was in 2006 and at that time the city had to fork out $16,000. The mayor said when the Amgen Tour decided to pick up the costs of the event, Dela Salla said, "Saying 'no' was not an option."

The mayor said the week-long race "is an exciting time for the city and an exciting event for tourists."

Amgen's starting line will be downtown on Alvarado Street on Wednesday, May 14.

Many downtown merchants are excited, including Rick Johnson of the Oldtown business association. He said thousands of people "could be shopping, staying and eating in downtown businesses."